


Over & Over

by sofaritsalright



Series: Just For A Moment [1]
Category: Gilmore Girls
Genre: Angst, F/M, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, One Shot, a bunch of fluff and angst and maybe some smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-12
Updated: 2020-01-12
Packaged: 2021-02-27 05:27:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,483
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22221808
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sofaritsalright/pseuds/sofaritsalright
Summary: Without having to speak, he picks up on her sudden quietness. "Think I owe you a dance," he says, eyebrows shooting upwards, the prom he wasn't able to escort her to weighs heavy on the mind, all these years later, always wondering if he'd get a chance to make up for it. Now that there is a small chance at redemption, as short as it will be until the song ends, he wonders if this will suffice, if it'll makeup for the kid that he used to be.Otherwise known as: What should've happened at Luke and Lorelai's wedding.
Relationships: Rory Gilmore & Jess Mariano, Rory Gilmore/Jess Mariano
Series: Just For A Moment [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1599583
Comments: 1
Kudos: 62





	Over & Over

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, loves! Sorry to throw yet another story your way, but I decided to compile a bunch of one-shots based on songs, sentence starters, or what I deem to be "missing scenes" within the original run and revival. If you guys have any suggestions, feel free to send me some and I'll be more than happy to try to figure something out! Hope you like it!

The soft glow of fairy lights illuminated Stars Hollow; hundreds upon hundreds of small lights lit up the town square, setting the tone of the night and leaving those in attendance with subtle hints of envy that their big day wouldn't even come close to the sheer perfection of this one. Kirk truly came through, made the big day as beautiful as possible, surprising all of those in attendance including the bride and groom. For all of the mistrust and irritation that can be there at times, he truly did something special this time around.

The ceremony was short and sweet — Luke and Lorelai to the very core, standing under the gazebo with their closest friends at their sides. Filled with anecdotes, inside jokes, the promises of coffee and perhaps trying healthier food options, and enough laughter to last a person an entire lifetime, and the promise of more to come. The maid of honor and best man stood across from each other, shoulder-to-shoulder with the wedding's centric players at the alter, occasionally exchanging glances, still in awe of how the other responds to humor with their entire face, how emotion takes ahold of their entire body, how they still catch each other looking at the other for one beat too long...

It's funny how some things never change.

Once the ceremony was over, everyone stayed and gathered, keeping in town for the reception. It was going to be the biggest wedding the town had ever had, claimed Lorelai to her her daughter. Perhaps she was right; perhaps they were both insane. It seemed as though everyone they'd ever met was there with them celebrating the fact that Luke and Lorelai had finally done it, tied the knot, kept cemented to one another after all this time. It was like a weight was lifted from all those that knew them, those who had held their breath for years until this day finally came.

As the day slowly transcended into night, Rory greeted those who came along to congratulate the couple, danced with the twins, saved another dance for Luke, and kept running back for beverages. In her downtime, she kept an eye out for Jess, wanting him to stay in the general vicinity until the time finally came for them to share in a moment. It hadn't happened yet, but she knew the time would come before the night was over. Or at least she prayed that it would, that the universe would grant her some sort of permission to approach him with some excuse to scoot in close, keep him in close distance.

That moment came eventually, after Luke and Lorelai were on their way to their honeymoon, and some townsfolk stayed behind, wanting to take in the rest of the night to party and celebrate and clean up before Taylor complained the next day.

The great task of curating the perfect playlist was bestowed on none other than Lane Kim, the woman who was born for this job. Lorelai had promised her this position years ago; before there was even a Luke to fantasize about. Throughout the night she had played some goodies and some oldies, some were hits and others were misses in the eyes of some. Only one Steely Dan song for Luke, only one Police song for Lorelai. The rest was left up to Lane.

As the songs fade in and out of each other, Rory makes a mental note to ask Lane for a copy of this particular playlist. As always, her best friend was an absolute genius, able to summon the necessary emotion and vibe. As the Pixies fade out, a softer tune slowly comes through the speakers, catching Rory off guard. "Over Over", a somewhat hidden Fleetwood Mac gem, meets the woman's ears. While she knows Lane isn't proud of her love for Fleetwood Mac, she takes a moment to silently thank her.

_"Could you ever need me? And would you know how?"_

Now blue eyes scan the dwindling crowd, trying to spot who was leftover still. Trying to see if he had made an escape without her knowing. Truly, he wouldn't have left without getting in a goodbye. He had done so before, in the past, but there was no way he'd repeat those particular mistakes and choices.

Her heart had dropped at the thought of him leaving, but as soon as she spots him, she softens and relaxes, sending a smile his direction. It's as if he knows what this is about, knows the words and message of the song playing over the speakers, and saunters on over to her with his hands tucked within his suit pockets. "Of all the gin joints," he speaks with sarcasm, grinning as if he hadn't seen her multiple times throughout the past few days. They hadn't gotten enough time together, but maybe for now they could make some time count. It didn't matter how many times his eyes were set upon her, she never failed to take his breath away, even after all this time.

Call it the romantic day getting to him, but he was being somewhat sentimental towards the only person who had ever truly gotten him.

Without having to speak, he picks up on her sudden quietness. "Think I owe you a dance," he says, eyebrows shooting upwards, the prom he wasn't able to escort her to weighs heavy on the mind, all these years later, always wondering if he'd get a chance to make up for it. Now that there is a small chance at redemption, as short as it will be until the song ends, he wonders if this will suffice, if it'll makeup for the kid that he used to be.

" _Huh_ ," she lets out the one syllable in a fashion that only mimicked Jess, "if I recall, the last time we even considered this, you said you wouldn't dance."

Brows raise. _Jeez_. A blast from the past, that's for sure. The man that Jess is nowadays would go back in time and kick his teenage self for saying such a thing. "What can I say? Think the arm's still twisted." No relief from getting its feeling back until he finally settles this guilt that's hung over him for so long. Not to mention, Miss Patty's punch may have given hime some confidence to muster up some sort of nerve to ask her to dance and show Stars Hollow that Jess Mariano can keep promises.

There's a certain curiosity to his features and she wonders if it's longing or guilt that's dragged him to this point; perhaps even a sentimental side brought out by the days festivities. Whatever it was, she was there, taking him up on it as Christine McVie sings on slowly above them, transcending them to a differing place, different time as he extends a hand, doing this in the most proper way possible, taking Rory by surprise. He leads her to the dance floor, dimly lit and mostly cleared out. She doesn't protest, it actually doesn't take a split second or second guessing to place her hand in his, before he pulls her in closer.

_"All you have to do is speak out my name, and I would come running anyway."_

What starts out feeling like a middle school dance begins to take new form. The hand that was awkwardly placed on her shoulder is traveling downward, fingertips dancing on their own along the length of her spine, the sensation dispersing shivers across her body, before his hand finds a semi-permanent home on the small of her back.

Without thinking, she pulls herself in closer, erasing the chance of any gap that might've been considered friendly, just for the moment. An unconscious thought sends her arm across his shoulder, hand cradling the back of his neck, keeping them locked into place as their bodies softly sway to the melodic rhythm. A familiar yet long forgotten heaviness begins to hit her like a ton of bricks, nearly knocking the life out of her. To make it go away, to lighten any tension that might've been there, she cracks a smile despite wanting to drown in whatever misery she had pushed away for years on end. "You know, if Principal Merton was here, he would have a cow from us being this close."

 _Principal Merton_ , a name Jess hadn't thought of in years. It was part of cleansing the past, righting his wrongs and forgiving those (and himself) for where his roads got twisted. The thought of this makes him laugh, despite not wanting to completely ruin this rather endearing moment where he gets to encapsulate her again, to keep her close and near, feel her body heat and the way she subtly continues to press herself against him, wanting that closeness that was always being interrupted by parental figures, or worse — their own emotions that had to best of them... that got the best of _him_. But he sees where this situation is going, feels the heaviness that hits her like a tidal wave, and instead goes along with whatever she's saying, only to lighten the mood ever so slightly, as if it needed any lightening. It was the perfect day, perfect night, perfect dance.

"Forget him. I'm more surprised Taylor isn't out here with a yardstick and demanding we be at least ten inches apart instead of—" Well, _this_ , hardly any room for the Holy Ghost to fit between them, but hey, he had no complaints. No way he'd let anyone ruin a moment such as this one. A quiet sigh falls over his lips, feet lazily keeping in tempo as her head rests against his shoulder, his cheek pressing against hers now.

Quietly, wholeheartedly, he whispers the words that Kurt Vonnegut begged him to exclaim or murmur or think at some point, "If this isn't nice, I don't know what is."

_"Could it be me, could it really be me? Over and over."_

Rory's heart sinks in her chest; both Jess's soft words and Fleetwood Mac making her melt. Old feelings bubbling up, from something so innocent. There was never truly a sense of closure between the two - not for their relationship anyway. For the most part, it'd mainly been sinking back into the land of friendship, calling each other to catch up every now and again, seeing each other on the rare occasions that they'd ventured back to Stars Hollow for holiday's. Never did they talk about what they once were, or what had happened. From the chaos that brought them together, to the things they liked about one another, to their separate declarations of love that went on in silence by the other party. " _I think I may have loved you_ ," she said, hanging up. " _I love you_ ," he said, getting in his car and driving far, far away. Never did they end on simple terms; instead they missed one another in silence, trying their best to move on as best as they could throughout the years. Still, not many came even remotely close to this. To them. To their moments, silences, heartbeats, kisses, laughter, pain.

_"Don't turn me away and don't let me down. What can I do to keep you around?"_

The woman fists at the back of his dress shirt, wrapping her hand up in the loose fitting material, holding him close, keeping him near. It's as if he can read her mind when he comments. "Ror, it's not like I'm gonna slip away."

She sighs, yet doesn't loosen up. Instead she keeps him close, wanting the body heat, wanting to freeze this particular moment forever in time. "You have before," she whispers, not wanting to say the words, dreading them entirely, wondering if that would cause some reaction. To her surprise, it doesn't. Although she can't see his facial expression, she can feel that he's kept softening by the way his fingers trace gentle circles on her spine. Seems as though he agrees in some sense.

They remain quiet, letting the song play out. _Over and over, over and over_. Once it ends, they remain put, only unlatching slightly while Lane's next pick comes over the speakers. "To Know Her Is To Love Her" by The Beatles. Jess's eyes wander, looking Rory over in the most obvious way possible.

She looks beautiful, completely dolled up.

So damn beautiful, even when she wasn't dressed to the nines.

 _And I do and I do and I do_ , he thinks, mentally singing along with the tune. He doesn't mean to still, but this moment, this town, this woman, reminds him that there's still something there for her, as if it wasn't already blatantly obvious, as if he hadn't realized it long before this moment.

Crystal blue hues search within his, suddenly realizing that whatever Patty put in the punch was taking ahold of her, creating some sort of veil over them that she couldn't see past. She was going to pay for every thought she was suddenly having, but damn, damn, damn... She needed this. Needed _him_ , for the first time in forever.

"Jess?"

"Yeah?"

"Wanna... go get some coffee?" Face scrunches up at her own words, hoping her point was getting across because their lips were becoming bruised from want and desire and the sudden need to write the wrongs of the past. Leave it to a wedding to make them realize that there was unfinished business.

"Coffee?" he repeats, a simple question, drawing out the syllables as he squints his eyes, picking up what she was putting down. _Coffee_. Huh. "Think I know a place."

Damn the consequences or the eyes of the town that were glued on them in this particular moment. It'd been years, they should just let it go. Everyone, the town, Jess, Rory. Let it go, let it be. But they both needed something to cling onto right now and if it was one another, then that's all that mattered.

The hand that was still stroking the nape of his neck is now leaving its newly created warmth and making its way to his own hand, grabbing it gently, leaving him to intertwine their fingers. They both smile at one another. Innocent with some sort of passion fueling them. Most of their relationship didn't work, but at least the passion did. The moment their lips crashed together when they were younger was the moment Jess ones this was something special. Although it was very rare that he wished to have that back, the thought of being reunited with plump, cherry colored lips was practically devastating him that it couldn't be done right now, not in front of everyone.

She reads this expression, turning on her heel, pulling him towards the diner.

Whatever the night has in store for them, they both know that they'll continue their song and dance elsewhere in the future, over and over.


End file.
